The #1 writing rule nobody talks about

I’ve been a writing mentor for over a year now.

The most common question I hear?

“How can I write content that people will actually read?”

Well, I could tell you now about all the writing rules I use.

But the philosophy of writing goes beyond the writing techniques (even tho you should take time to learn them as well).

Those are great tips, but they’re secondary.

The real secret to being a successful creator:

People don’t know how to share their truth. They might think they do, but they are not doing it.

Most people just copy others.

And it makes sense - that’s what we learn in school & university. It’s all about references, citations, and memorizing what has already been studied.

In academia, we don’t learn how to think. We learn how to repeat. 

Most people leave university without ever having had a thought for themselves. Think about that for a second.

To share your truth, you need to learn how to think for yourself. And that essentially means to get to know yourself. How?

Self-awareness.

Becoming as self-aware as possible is the best writing (and life) tip anybody can give you. The more self-aware you are, the better your content will be. That’s a fact.

And if you’re now thinking, “oh, but I’m self-aware”. Then I want to stop you right there. If you’d be fully self-aware, you’d be enlightened.

There’s an Einstein quote that holds true here: "The more you learn, the more you realize how little you know."

Meaning the more you learn about yourself, the more you realize how little you know about yourself.

And I’ll be honest:

Before my 10 days of no screen, I thought I was pretty self-aware.

Oh, how wrong I was…

I realized how unaware I am - I saw the neurosis of my mind. The discomfort with boredom. My problem with doing nothing. My tendency to distract myself from myself. My addictions to social media. My constant need to rush through my day.

Observing my mind in stillness was eye-opening. And it was only eye-opening because I didn’t know that about myself before.

But you don’t need to do 10 days without screens (even tho I’d totally recommend).

Here’s what psychology says on “how to gain self-awareness”:

Self-awareness requires introspection and a willingness to seek discomfort (which I did during my 10-day screen fast).

Here are some other ways to build self-awareness:

• Read books and articles that people usually wouldn’t read

• Meditate to learn about silence, because in silence we see truth

• Journal about your inner states, emotions, thoughts, and experiences

• Travel alone to discover your loneliness, ability to adapt, and capacity for self-reliance

• Talk to people with different perspectives and unique ways of looking at the world

• Challenge yourself physically: I once ran a marathon in 5 hours, and during that time I learned months worth of lessons about myself.

The key to self-awareness:

• Face your fears.

• Listen to new ideas.

• Make time for silence.

• Become an observer of yourself.

• Expose yourself to new experiences.

• Try activities that make you uncomfortable.

• Talk to as many different people as possible.

• Look at the things you don’t want to look at.

• Travel to places that challenge your perspective.

• Question your beliefs and reflect on their origins.

• Consume content people wouldn’t usually consume.

Personal branding is about becoming your own person (aka gaining self-awareness).

When you think for yourself and share your truth, people will connect with you. That’s how you gain followers, build an audience, and create opportunities everywhere.

It’s so beautiful to see:

Everything—from influence to subscribers to clients—starts and ends with honesty. And honesty requires self-exploration. Because before you explore who you are, you can’t actually be honest.

As a creator, your job is to bring something new into the world. Creation isn’t about rehashing the same ideas—it’s about expressing something uniquely yours. That’s what makes your work stand out from others.

So ask yourself:

• Who am I?

• What do I truly believe in?

• What do I want to share with the world?

Your beliefs might change over time, and that’s okay. What matters is that you stay honest and keep sharing.

Because at the end of the day, the real game of creation isn’t about writing. It’s about self-awareness, honesty, and the courage to share your truth with the world.

That’s it.

Let me know what you thought about today’s letter. Ever heard about this writing tip?

With love,

Heythem

P.S.: I’m back from my 10 days of no screen and more motivated than ever to share my truth and help people share theirs. My mission is to help you write from the soul to attract the clients you're meant to serve and build a writing business that heals, connects, and earns. If that’s for you, reply with “mentor” and I'll get back to you (currently 1 spot left for August) - if you’re into numbers, client results you find here: https://heythemnaji.com/client-results